2018-08-302018-08-31Comments Off on Former Japanese diplomats, U.N. experts recall Kofi Annan’s support and commitment (30/08/2018)

Erick Johnson of the Japan Times writes former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who died earlier this month, was remembered by former Japanese diplomats and U.N. experts as a strong supporter of Security Council reform plans that could have given Japan a permanent seat.

Ambassador Eiji Yamamoto in charge of international terrorism and organized crime countermeasures will make a presentation on Japan`s preparedness followed by discussions from 15:30 to 17:40 on Saturday 22nd September 2018 at JICA Research Institute at Ichigaya Room 201. If you would like to participate, please contact Mr. Masakuni Tanimoto Secretary-General of GPAJ (tanimoto[@]gpaj.org).

According to the Kofi Annan Foundation, Kofi Annan, former Secretary General of the United Nations and Nobel Peace Laureate, passed away peacefully after a short illness, in hospital in Bern, Switzerland in the early hours of August 18 with his wife and children at his side.

2018-08-102018-08-20Comments Off on Michelle Bachelet is new United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. (10/08/2018)

The General Assembly approved on August 10 the appointment of Michelle Bachelet as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights effective September 2018. Bachelet is a prominent women’s rights advocate who served as the first woman president in Chile and is expected to assert her leadership in advancing human rights in the world with rising racial tension and authoritarian rule.

2018-07-252018-08-20Comments Off on [NOTICE] Status and Problems of Refugees and Immigrants in Japan will be assessed by President Saburo Takizawa of UNHCR Association of Japan and Ms. Mio Sato IOM Chief of Mission in Japan (19/08/2018)

2018-07-212018-07-23Comments Off on Joint Action Plan drawn up by the Russian Defense Ministry for return of Syrian refugees from neighboring countries of Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey. (21/07/2018)

At a press conference held at UN Headquarters on July 20, US Secretary of State Pompeo stated Presidents Trump and Putin discussed how to return Syrian refugees who had fled the war-torn country during their behind closed doors meeting in Helsinki on July 16, 2018.

2018-07-172018-08-22Comments Off on [Geneva Dialogue] ICRC`s humanitarian mission and neutrality emphasized by Director of Operations Dominik Stillhart, and Coordinators Simon Schorno for Asia and the Pacific and Valerie Petitpierre for Syria (17/07/2018)

On July 16, five discussants, Professors Aigul Kulnazarova of Tama University, Yasushi KATSUMA of Waseda University, Zhang Guihong of Fudan University, Sijeong Lim, University of Amsterdam, and Colonel Amarsaikhan Serdari of the Mongolian Armed Forces as well as Icchiku Yamada of Tokyo University commented on the Implications of the Breaches of Humanitarian Law and discussed what East Asian countries can do.

2018-07-172018-07-25Comments Off on [UN Family Reunion] Former Chinese Team Leader of Military Observers Hongsheng SHENG who is now Professor of Public International Law at Shanghai University of Political Sciences and Law meets IOM Director General William Swing who was SRSG and Head of MONUC in the Congo 13 years ago. (17/07/2018)

Professor Hongsheng SHENG met with Director General Ambassador William Swing in Geneva during his participation in the Geneva Dialogue of East Asian Scholars with UN and International Organizations held on July 16 and 17, 2018.

2018-07-172018-09-08Comments Off on At the dialogue held at Palais Wilson in Geneva on 17 July, Human Rights Issues were addressed by United Nations Deputy High Commissioner and discussed with East Asian Scholars (17/07/2018)

Human Rights is NOT in Retreat insisted by Deputy UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Kate Gilmore, while Importance of Universal Periodic Review emphasized by UPR Chief Mr. Gianni MAGAZZENI.

2018-07-172018-08-02Comments Off on Achim Wennmann, Executive Coordinator, Geneva Peacebuilding Platform, and other Peace and Development Experts present their Perspectives to Asian Scholars (17/07/2018)

Three other speakers were: Robert Watkins, Former Resident Coordinator of the United Nations Operational Activities in Bangladesh, Delidji Eric Degila, Adjunct Professor of International Relations at Benin Ecole Nationale d’Administration, and Mark Downes, Assistant Director and Head of DCAF’s Operations Department contributed to the Geneva Dialogue with their insightful presentations.

2018-07-162018-07-23Comments Off on Geneva Dialogue Participants gather at the entrance of Palais des Nations after the long day of discussion. (16/07/2018)

From right to left on front row; Ms. Erika FREY, University of Teachers Education Zug; Ms. Reina MOTEGI of the University of Tokyo; Professor Misako TAKIZAWA of Oberlin University; Dr. Ai KIHARA-HUNT, Associate Professor, Graduate Program on Human Security, the University of Tokyo, Deputy Director, Research Center for Sustainable Peace, and Deputy Director, ACUNS Tokyo Office; Ryotaro Takehara of the University of Tokyo.

Second row from left to right: Colonel Amarsaikhan SERDARI, Chief of Special Plans Office of the Mongolian Armed Forces; Professor Takaaki MIZUNO of the Kanda University of International Studies (KUIS); Yasushi KATSUMA, Professor of Waseda University; Ms. Suzuka YAMADA of the University of Tokyo; Ms. Mizuki ARITA of the University of Tokyo; Ms. Moeka TAWADA of the University of Tokyo; Prof. SHENG Hongsheng of Shanghai University of Political Science and Law; Mr. Takashi KAMISHIRO, Head of Field Office Miravalle, UN Verification Mission in Colombia; Professor ZHANG Guihong, Director of the Center for UN Studies, Fudan University and Vice President & Secretary-General, Shanghai UN Research Association.

Third row from left to right: Professor Aygul KULNAZAROVA of Tama University; Ms. Kana YOKOYAMA of the University of Tokyo; Ms. Maja LIECHTI of the University of Tokyo; Mr. Yuki SAITO of the University of Tokyo; Mr. Eisuke KIMURA of the University of Tokyo; and Mr. Simon PANCHAUD of the University of Geneva.

2018-07-162018-07-27Comments Off on East Asian Scholars’ Dialogue opened by David Chikvaidze, Chef de Cabinet of the Office of Director-General Michael Møller (16/07/2018)

Chikvaidze referred to Geneva as a prime place for human rights with the Human Rights Council located in Geneva and a vibrant place for humanitarian aid, disarmament and trade. He noted that no city had a richer history of collaboration than Geneva.

2018-07-162018-07-29Comments Off on Geneva Dialogue: Senior Legal Coordinator and Head of Protection Policy Madeline Garlick explains UNHCR role in Protection of Refugees (16/07/2018)

According to Madeline Garlick, addressing challenges around protracted refugees, situation of conflict, finding solutions, responsibility sharing are key conditions for successful refugee protection. People fleeing from persecution should not be penalized for moving illegally. Click here for her full presentation and comments by Asian scholars.

2018-07-162018-07-21Comments Off on Geneva Dialogue: IOM Director General Ambassador William Swing points to “Mega-trend” in Migration (16/07/2018)

More than one billion people are migrating with nearly 250 million international migrants and some 750 million domestic migrants. Nearly a quarter of the migrants are forced to move while the majority migrates freely and orderly.

2018-07-162018-07-20Comments Off on East Asian Scholars and Students Visit Disarmament Commission Chamber (16/07/2018)

This former Chamber of the Council of the League of Nations is now used by the UN Disarmament Commission which was first created in 1952 but met rarely until 1978 when the first special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament established a successor Disarmament Commission as a subsidiary deliberative body of the Assembly, composed of all Member States of the United Nations.

2018-07-162018-07-19Comments Off on East Asian Scholars Starts Geneva Dialogue with the UN and International Organizations: Visit to Human Rights Council (16/07/2018)

Thirty-two scholars and students from Japan, China, Korea and Mongolia started their two- day dialogue with senior officials of UNOG, UNHCR, IOM, ICRC, UNHCHR and Geneva Graduate Institute on the theme of Human Rights, Migration and Peacebuilding in a Turbulent Age.

2018-07-082018-07-10Comments Off on Concert and Democracy at Village Level in Switzerland (08/07/2018)

In Switzerland, concerts are held in magnificent auditoriums but also outdoors for villagers to attend and hear. Here is one of the concerts just held in the town of Wadenswil I went yesterday. About 100 people came and, alas, most of them turned out to be more than 60 years old. It`s an aging society here just like Japan. But, Switzerland is accepting foreigners who now constitute more than 30 percent of the population.

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This website was established by Mr. Norimasa NOGUCHI in 2008. It is now managed by Mr. Shogo YOSHIDA, who was one of Professor Hasegawa’s sixth seminar class students at Hosei University. Please forward any inquiry or suggestions to: admin[@]shasegawa.com.